How does the Milky Way differ from other galaxies?

Question

Asher Cohen · Accepted Answer

The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy.

Galaxies come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny dwarf galaxies of less than a billion stars, to monster galaxies of over a trillion stars.
They also come in many different shapes, from blobby irregular galaxies to spirals, rings, and giant ellipticals.

And within each there are many different types, such as spirals with few or many arms, small or large central bulge etc.

So asking how is the milky way different from other galaxies is a bit like asking how you are different from other people. In many ways it is very similar to many other galaxies, but also very different from others.

Levi Acosta · Answer

undefined A barred spiral galaxy with a central bulge, spiral arms, and a disk of stars, gas, and dust, the Milky Way is distinct from other galaxies in terms of its composition, structure, and features. It is home to billions of stars, including our sun, and has a supermassive black hole at its center. In comparison to other galaxies, the Milky Way is relatively large and has a moderate rate of star formation.